ASTANA, BISHKEK – Following the fifth World Nomad Games (WNG) in Kazakhstan, the country has handed over the hosting baton to the Kyrgyz Republic, which holds the sixth edition Aug. 31-Sept. 6. The six-day international celebration of traditional nomadic sports to open tonight, will bring together over 100 countries, more than 2,000 representatives of sports, cultural and academic delegations.
Launched in 2014, the WNG are the world’s only multisport competition dedicated entirely to traditional sports of nomadic peoples. Held every two years, the games aim to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the steppe. Many of the disciplines are rooted in skills traditionally essential to life on the steppe, including wrestling, bone throwing, falconry, archery and horse racing.
The idea for the WNG originated in the Kyrgyz Republic, which hosted the first three editions in Cholpon-Ata. In 2014, the Games brought together 583 athletes from 19 countries competing in 10 sports. In 2016, participation grew to 1,200 athletes from 62 countries across 26 sports.
By 2018, around 2,000 athletes from 82 countries competed in 37 sports. The games were held in Iznik, Türkiye, in 2022, attracting more than 3,000 athletes from 102 countries across 13 sports. In 2024, Kazakhstan hosted the fifth edition, with around 2,500 athletes from 89 countries competing in 21 sports.
Kazakhstan sent the largest delegation, with 195 athletes, followed by the Kyrgyz Republic with 172 and Russia with 144. Wrestling was the largest discipline at the games, attracting 266 competitors. From left: Galiya Nurutdinova and Asiya Sarbayeva. Photo credit: Sarbayeva’s personal archieve This year’s program is built around three main areas: sports, culture and science.
The sporting program features traditional ethnic sports, national games and competitions practiced by peoples worldwide. Some of the most anticipated events will take place around Lake Issyk-Kul. At the hippodrome in Cholpon-Ata, riders will compete in events that draw on centuries-old traditions of speed, agility and horsemanship.
Horse racing will have a particularly prominent place in the program. Events include alaman baige, a long-distance race in which endurance and the ability to manage a horse’s strength are crucial. The cultural program will feature festivals and an ethnovillage, where regions of the Kyrgyz Republic will showcase living traditions through crafts, music, dance, customs, rituals and national cuisine.
Kazakhstan is also preparing for the games, with a qualifying championship in zhorga zharys, a traditional pacing-horse race, recently held at the Central Hippodrome in Almaty, reported the capital’s akimat (city administration) on Aug.20. Riders from Astana took first and second place after completing a 9-kilometer course.
One of the notable performances came from a 13-year-old female jockey who recently joined the team. Despite her young age, she delivered a strong performance in one of her first competitions and won a silver medal.